Stories & Features

6 ways B.C. is so great for electric vehicles

B.C.'s abundance of reliable, affordable electricity is just one reason the province is ideally suited to the operation of electric vehicles.

Plug-in vehicles ideally suited to British Columbia

Note: This story was updated March 29, 2016.

The Vancouver International Auto Show made its annual stop in the Lower Mainland last week. The Vancouver Convention Centre was filled with all kinds of automobiles, and showcased a variety of vehicles running on alternative energy sources.

The interest in B.C. around alternative energy vehicles, including hydrogen fuel cells, hybrids, and plug-in electrics, has been increasing, and with good reason. The truth is that B.C. is a great place to drive EVs.

1. Most of us have a short distance to commute

Range anxiety is quickly becoming a thing of the past as automakers significantly increase, with each model year, the distance their EVs can go without needing to plug in again. But in B.C, even older EVs are up to the task of the daily commute. According to Statistics Canada, nearly 90% of British Columbians live in a metropolitan area, where the distance from home to work is usually less than 50 km, easily within the range of EVs currently available in the province.

2. EV drivers can drive in HOV lanes even when riding solo

Announced by Premier Christy Clark at the recent Globe Conference on Sustainability and Innovation, drivers of eligible alternative energy vehicles can use HOV lanes without having to comply with occupancy requirements.